Around 500 gathered outside London hotel to protest Sultan’s new LGBT laws

The gathering was led by human rights activist Peter Tatchell this afternoon

Called for Government to sever ties with the Sultan if he did not revoke the laws

Protesters have broken through a barricade outside the Dorchester Hotel as they rally against its owner the Sultan of Brunei and his new LGBT laws, reports suggest.

Around 500 people turned out to take part in the protest in Park Lane, central London, after the Sultan announced the change in law last week. …

The gathering, led by human rights activist Peter Tatchell, saw many of the protesters carrying placards and banners calling for homophobia to be stamped out, as well as rainbow flags.

Mr Tatchell said if the Sultan did not revoke the laws the British Government should sever all ties with the regime.

He added: ‘If the Sultan will not listen to reason and compassion we believe the British Government should sever all diplomatic, economic and military ties with the regime.

‘What is shameful is that our royal family puts royal ties before human rights.’

There were cries of ‘shame’ from the crowd when Mr Tatchell claimed the Royal Family were not going to sever ties with the regime.

The protest comes on the back of the growing movement against hotels owned by the Sultan of Brunei – including the Dorchester – in response to the nation’s new Islamic criminal laws punishing gay sex by stoning offenders to death.

On Thursday a group of protesters stormed the Dorchester with a megaphone and called for it to be boycotted.

Canadian writer Jordan Tannahill, along with friends Andy Field, Crispin Lord and Nick Finegan, booked a table at the hotel at around 1pm before they began their protest.

But they were quickly escorted out by the hotel’s security staff.

Barriers had been put up around the front of the hotel today and an estimated 500 people lined the surrounding streets, chanting and holding up signs.